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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29607483">As Time flows by</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothamLioness1/pseuds/GothamLioness1'>GothamLioness1</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My works for the ATLA rarepair challenge 2021 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Arranged Marriage, Bad Ending, Compliant with the rest of canon tho, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Don't repost. Only I can do that, F/M, Might add more tags later, Not Compliant with Avatar Comics, Tumblr Prompt</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 03:07:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,681</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29607483</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GothamLioness1/pseuds/GothamLioness1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Once upon a time their marriage had been perfect. But this was no longer that time.</p><p>Or a snippet of moments throughout Ozai and Ursa's relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ozai &amp; Ursa &amp; Zuko &amp; Azula, Ozai/Ursa (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>My works for the ATLA rarepair challenge 2021 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2180757</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>2021 Avatar Pro-Shipping Rare Pair Challenge</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>As Time flows by</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Well, here is something I made for the avatar rare pair challenge.</p><p>This week's theme was Arranged Marriage and you know who's marriage Bryke talked about being arranged even before the comics? Ursa and Ozai!</p><p>Anyway enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’d met when they were young, only 12 and 16.</p><p>There was a meeting going on between their parents. And they were stuck out in the garden.</p><p>The girl, Ursa, was looking around in awe. While she’d always known her parents were nobility, never had she imagined that she’d get a chance to visit the Royal Palace itself, after all they hardly even visited the capital.</p><p>She had black hair, amber eyes, and porcelain skin. The Courtyard she was walking in had lush green grass and a fountain which stretched to be more of a lake. On the side were on one an apple three and the other a willow. Brick walls surrounded it with a regal doorway back inside. There was a pavilion that wrapped around, blocking all of the walls except for the one with said entrance/exit.</p><p>Watching was a Boy, Ozai, who had lived here his whole life. That being said he was gawking too, but the sight of the girl. He, not unlike her, had black hair, golden eyes, and light skin.</p><p>“Hello there,” He smiled, “I’m Prince Ozai. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. The most handsome and powerful man in these parts”</p><p>Ursa curtsied, “The prince himself, it’s pleasure to meet you!”</p><p>“I can show you around, if you’d like.”</p><p>She beamed, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”</p>
<hr/><p>They were 14 and 18 when their future was set.</p><p>Fortunately, it was not one they were opposed to.</p><p>“Imagine, me, Princess of the Fire Nation!” Ursa exclaimed to her best friend Nimmy.</p><p>The other girl had brown hair and eyes, and light skin. She wore red and gold.</p><p>She smiled, “You don’t need to imagine. It’s in your future.”</p><p>“I know, I just…” Ursa stuttered, “I don’t know how I got this lucky.”</p><p>“I mean that’s obvious.” Nimmy muttered.</p><p>“Out of every girl in the Nation, me!” She said, “Lord Azulon chose me to marry his son! Why I must be the luckiest girl in the world! I just can’t wait until the Wedding…”</p><p>“...and then you’re royalty?” Her friend finished.</p><p>“Well, it’s more than that. His son is so kind to me. And just in general such a pleasant to be around. Made the best jokes too…”</p><p>“Yeah, whatever you say. Just imagine how elegant the Wedding will be!”</p><p>Nimmy grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around herself. “Hello, my dear wife, now that it is time we be wedded, I shall beseech you with one hundred Turtle-ducks.”</p><p>“A whole hundred!” Ursa replied, “Why how did you know how I adore them!”</p><p>“Because no wife of mine wouldn’t”</p><p>“Well, my dear, you should know that you are the best husband to have been born.”</p><p>“And you, my love, are luckier than you will ever know. Like so very lucky to have married me. I mean look at me, you better be grateful to my father.”</p><p>The girls erupted into giggles.</p><p>“Best Husband to be born?” Nimmy asked, “You need to work on your sweet nothings.”</p><p>“Well you sure know how to make the man seem like a narcissist!” Ursa retaliated, “If you ever want to achieve your dream of joining the Ember Island Players you need to start working on your improve!”</p><p>They flopped on the ground, continuing to daydream innocently, not a clue of what was actually to come.</p>
<hr/><p>At 19 and 23 they actually started interacting a bit more.</p><p>Ursa’s parents had just moved from Ember Island to the Capital, in excitement for the wedding which was now only to be in a couple years. And as such, she and Ozai were expected to spend more time together. Admittedly though, it wasn’t something the girl was particularly invested in. Her and Ozai had the world to learn about each other, but she doubted there was very much time to forge friendships before she had to worry about whether they were using her royal status all the time. Nonetheless, when her betrothed had asked her to watch him do a little bending for her, she’d quickly accepted his offer.</p><p>She sighed looking at the Courtyard, wondering why she’d agreed to this. It would just be Ozai throwing some flames around, nothing special about that. At least in the meantime she got to hang with the Turtle-ducks.</p><p>The one she was looking at right now was tan fur, with a brown stripe down the middle of their head, They had a Brown shell with a light green along the borders, and a small tail which stuck out the other side. At her family's old estate at Ember Island she used to spend loads of her freetime with the animals.</p><p>“My dear, I’m glad you came.”</p><p>Ursa turned to see Ozai, shirtless. All he wore was some red bottoms that were baggy at first but thinned below the knee. But what interested the teen was his abs, which were exposed. Her cheeks had gone hot red at the sight.</p><p>“Enjoying the view?” Ozai smirked.</p><p>She just blushed, and started to unglue her eyes when he added, “No, stare all you’d like. After all until we marry this is the closest you will see to my full naked body, which happens to be the world’s most beautiful view.”</p><p>She let out a giggle, before he frowned and said “I wasn’t joking.”</p><p>“Oh”</p><p>It was awkward for a moment before he flexed his bicep and told her “So you ready to see my fire bending in action?”</p><p>She smiled, “Let’s just hope it’s not as hot as you are.”</p><p>“That’s the spirit!”</p>
<hr/><p>When they were only 21 and 25 they were married.</p><p>It was a large celebration, after all the wedding was for the Prince himself, and mostly everyone with at least some amount of nobility was invited.</p><p>Ozai scanned the room to see the scene.</p><p>The seats were stacked with guests, yet there were still people coming in. However in the middle was a red carpetway that she was soon to walk down.</p><p>He held his breath, waiting. Then she came down.</p><p>She wore a light pink gown, with red and gold trimmings. Her hair was in a bundle, with matching pink flowery ornaments. The Groom had never seen such a sight.</p><p>Ursa gave him a smile, as she stopped in front of the priest, to stand in front of him.</p><p>The two gazed in the other’s eyes, ignoring the priest as he rattled on. In that moment, it felt as if it was real.</p><p>Eventually the priest directed them to the hair ornaments that were on a cushion.</p><p>“Do you, Prince Ozai, by the word of Agni, take Ursa as your wife, forever and always? ‘Til death do you part?”</p><p>“I do.” Ozai answered, allowing her to take his new ornament, and place it onto his head, doing his hair around it.</p><p>After she finished, the priest turned to her and asked “Do you, Ursa, by the word of Agni, take Ozai as your husband, forever and always? ‘Til death do you part?”</p><p>“I do.” Ursa promised, now it was Ozai’s turn to place her new ornament into her hair. It was a bit harder, considering hers was already done and he knew very little about doing hair, but it ended up decent. The Bride noted to herself to fix it up a little later though.</p><p>“...And with that, you may kiss the bride!”</p><p>The two leapt into what was surprisingly passionate for their first kiss. Even as they pulled away, holding one another close.</p><p>“I love you,” he whispered.</p><p>“I love you too.” She said back.</p><p>And in that moment, those words were true.</p>
<hr/><p>In only a few years, they found themselves to be the parents of two children.</p><p>The sea breeze flew past them, leaving a salty smell. They sat on the beach of Ember Island, an umbrella sheltering them, as they watched their children play.</p><p>Little Azula was only two, she matched her parents with the black hair, light skin, and amber eyes. She wore a small light blue onesie, and sat in her mother’s lap, reaching to play with sand. Meanwhile their son, a three-year old named Zuko, was looking for seashells, when he noticed something odd from the corner of his eye.</p><p>A brown hawk was swooping down to grab an olive-colored Turtle-crab.</p><p>The boy ran to save it. On the blanket the couple watched, Ursa turned to her husband with a smile.</p><p>“Look at him,” she smiled, “Isn’t he so sweet?”</p><p>Ozai grimaced, “yes, of course.” he muttered.</p><p>He didn’t mean a word though. There was just something about the boy that didn’t sit well with him. And moments like these didn’t help it. His wife may always find it endearing as he protected the weak, but Ozai couldn’t help but twitch.</p><p>That being said, during the time they’d been married he felt like there had been a shift in Ursa’s behavior. Again, he couldn’t put a finger on it. The adoring eyes she gave just seemed to hold less idealization of him. Just as much love, but now they seemed to see his flaws too. And they seemed to be just as focused on the children nowadays, rather than on him and him alone.</p><p>His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a child scream. He turned to see Zuko being carried away by a wave, crying in fear.</p><p>“Wait here,” He told Ursa, before rushing to save the boy from the ocean currents.</p><p>It was when they were 28 and 32 that they had the fight.</p><p>It was nighttime. Ozai was sitting in his study, and she entered.</p><p>He was wearing his usual royal scarlet robe, with the gold trim and black neckpiece. His hair was down, the engagement ornament sat on the desk. She only wore a red robe, her hair similarly unadorned.</p><p>“Ozai, we need to talk.” Ursa said sternly.</p><p>“What is it, my beautiful wife?” he asked, not bothering to look at her.</p><p>“Zuko and Azula…” She replied, “The way you’ve been treating them. It’s wrong. You need to shape up.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” to her annoyance, he was still looking at the damn paper.</p><p>“Ozai, you know what I mean” Ursa chided, “Can you please just… spend some time with Zuko where you aren’t glaring or charisting him the entire time? Or maybe with Azula that doesn’t involve shaping her into a soldier of some sort?”</p><p>He stood up, finally turning to face her. “Are you implying I’m a bad father?”</p><p>“I’m implying that if you continue down this path you’ll become one,” She responded.</p><p>“The children are fine.” He calmly assured her, “I’m good at parenting.”</p><p>“Ozai, listen-”</p><p>“Goodnight, Ursa” The man smiled before heading off to bed.</p><p>“You can’t just walk out on this convers-” She began, only for the door to shut in her face.</p><p>With a sigh, she sat down, attempting to strategize how to get him to listen, going over each plan in her head.</p>
<hr/><p>A year passed and no progress had been made.</p><p>Ozai shut her down everytime she attempted to talk to him. But, to his annoyance, Ursa was still persistent.</p><p>Neither enjoyed what felt like an everlasting fight. She just wanted them to be a family, and he, well he was more reminiscent of the old times with just the two of them.</p><p>Then that fateful night ensued.</p><p>It started out normal, at least for Ursa. They’d just attended a hearing that her husband requested with her Father-in-law, Firelord Azulon. The children had shown off their bending, the usual stuff.</p><p>But that night when the woman went to tuck her son in to sleep she came across an odd sight.</p><p>Azula was sitting on the edge of Zuko’s bed, saying “...I know! Maybe you could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you?”</p><p>He, on the other hand, was actually in the bed sitting up, visibly terrorized. “Stop it! You’re lying! Dad would never do that to me!”</p><p>“Your father would never do what to you?” She interrupted the scene. “What is going on here?”</p><p>“I don’t know!” Azula quickly replied, as her mother approached.</p><p>“It’s time for a talk.” Ursa told her, grabbing Azula by the arm and pulling her out of the room, leaving their son to mutter about his sister lying.</p><p>Once they were in another room, Ursa knelt down to her daughter and asked, “Azula, what happened in there?”</p><p>The girl stared down at her feet for a second, before answering “I… I accidentally overheard Dad and Grandfather in the Throne room, Daddy asked Grandfather for Uncle’s birthright, but Grandfather got angry that Daddy would ask that so soon after Lu Ten’s death, and decided that he should have to bear the pain of losing a first-born too, so now Dad has to kill Zuko.”</p><p>“What?!” Ursa’s eyes widened.</p><p>“Mommy, you don’t think he’ll really go through with killing Zuko, do you?” Her daughter asked, fearfully.</p><p>Ursa softened up a bit, “No, Azula, he won’t. Now go to your room, and even if it’s hard to sleep just read a book but stay in there, understand?”</p><p>“Ok, Mommy.” Azula replied, racing to her bedroom. As she left, Ursa went to go confront her husband.</p>
<hr/><p>“You can’t just kill our son, Ozai!” Ursa said.</p><p>“What other choice do I have?” Ozai responded, “My father is the Fire Lord. If I don’t, the boy will suffer a far more painful death than what I’m going to do.”</p><p>“Well, unlike you I don’t care what it takes, I’m going to protect Zuko.” She said, “no matter how much power Azulon may have or what happens to me.”</p><p>“Go ahead,” Ozai replied, “You’re welcome to try to come up with a solution if you’d like, but no matter what you do, My father will find a way to kill him. Even if I’m dead, at this point he’ll probably just kill him for the sake of it.”</p><p>She paused, thinking for a moment, before saying “He can’t hurt Zuko if he’s dead.”</p><p>He stood in the courtyard they’d first met, next to the pond she’d love so dearly, under the tree she always sat beneath.</p>
<hr/><p>After she’d left the room, it had all been so fast.</p><p>She’d left the room, only to return saying that the Firelord was dead, but now the “papers” pronounced it to be Ozai rather than Iroh who would take the throne.</p><p>When Ozai asked if she understood that the punishment for this murder would be death, she answered that it didn’t matter to her as long as he promised that with her gone he’d care for Azula and Zuko.</p><p>He didn’t care to ask the other question on his mind of why she’d go out of her way to give him the throne. The man didn’t want to sound ungrateful.</p><p>Besides, it would be nicer to lie to himself that it was out of love for him despite the obvious truth that she’d done it out of fear that Iroh, despite Ursa knowing that his brother wasn’t likely to, might try to hurt the children. In her eyes, while Ozai wasn’t a perfect parent, he was still the only person Ursa could trust with them.</p><p>That being said, Ozai couldn’t bring himself to sentence her to death. He got everything in place so that all that would happen to the woman was banishment. Then he’d given her the stupid promise, and Ursa had left.</p><p>She’d left him. Forever.</p><p>It was only now, standing here, that Ozai realized just how much he missed her, despite the small time she’d been gone. Even wondered whether he could have found a way to let her go completely unpunished.</p><p>None of it mattered though, he told himself. He was Firelord now, all the power in the world. She was a small sacrifice.</p><p>As he contemplated it all, little Zuko ran into the yard and asked “Where is she?”</p><p>Ozai only ignored him, letting the child figure out what happened on his own and what was left of his own heart slowly turn to stone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave Kudos and/or a review! (preferably both)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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